An interesting take on the fashion industry by three different generations. The writing and research may have been done well but I did not care for any of the characters which lacked depth for myself reading the story.

This is exquisitely written historical fiction by Natasha Lester and I loved every bit of it. The novel follows three generations of women in the Bricard family, Mizza, Astrid and Blythe, as they navigate the fashion industry and life in general. Mizza was a real person who was known as Dior’s muse during the backdrop of the war. Mizza’s fictional daughter Astrid and lover Hawke (also a designer) represent the world of fashion and misogyny of the 70s. Blythe is Astrid’s daughter in the present, trying to find her way not knowing what happened to Astrid. Gender inequality is portrayed as rampant, with women trying to find their voice and power. We also meet many fashion icons: Dior, Halston, Blass and others. Lester weaves an intricate and intriguing story, well structured, with the mystery of what happened to Astrid. I was absorbed by the details, the personalities, the relationships and the dresses. This research was detailed and well documented. I highly recommend The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard. With thanks to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC. My opinions are my own. susanh_bookreviews, Goodreads

I am a big fan of Lester’s last few books, and this one was no exception. The three stories intersect in beautiful ways, and the plot is so intriguing.

Another winner from Natasha Lester! While my favorite of hers will always be The Paris Seamstress (because Alex and Estelle are my OTP!), this book comes in close to the top. Lester's ability to mix fact and fiction and shine a light on important historical women (like Rose Valland and Catherine Dior in previous books and Mizza Bricard in this book) who have been shoved into the dusty forgotten corners of history is unparalleled. As in her previous works, there are interconnected stories that take place in different timelines (3 in this case). In a big departure from her previous work, the main action of this story actually takes place in the 1970s in New York. This change was very refreshing.

There were numerous times when I had to put this book down and walk away because it was too hard to read. It took my breath away how little has changed from the 1940s and the 1970s in how women are treated as people, as mothers, and entrepreneurs. In this book, this all happens in the world of fashion, but the way women are treated and portrayed in the media isn't limited to one industry and it's not limited to only famous women.

The ending of this book was also very satisfying and a departure, I feel, from Lester's previous books (in a good way!).

I received an eARC of this book from Net Galley.

This is a really good historical fiction book by Natasha Lester

Inspired by Mizza Bricard, this is a fictional story about 3 generations of Bricard women in the fashion industry. Mizza, known as Dior's muse, Astrid - (fictional) daughter who has to fight for her place in the fashion industry in the 1970s, and Blythe Bricard, Astrid's daughter who had given up on a life in fashion but is drawn back in, trying to find out what happened to Astrid Bricard.

While most of the story itself is made up, I greatly appreciate the research and historical setting of this story. It is a glimse into what women have had to deal with, even to this day, to succeed, especially those in the public eye.

I highly recommend this book, although I would recommend reading The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre by this author first. While the stories are not directly connected, Alix plays a big part in this story and it makes more sense when you know Alix's story.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and really glad that I was able to read it.

I finished this novel to be able to give feedback. The novel is about three generations of women in the fashion industry, that is dominated by men. I couldn’t identify with any of the characters, Both Mizza and Astrid abandoned their daughters without any justifiable reason. I found the book boring and was glad when I finished finally.
I received a complimentary copy, opinions are my own.

is story about the fashion industry is told through three generations of Bricard women...the grandmother, the mother and the daughter. In an industry ruled by men, it was the women who set the fashion industry ablaze. The sacrifices they made, the men who "pawed" them, the muses they became and all at a cost. Never equal to the men in that industry, we follow them, we hear them and read their story. At a time in the 70's when women were told to "burn their bras" these women became legends. But what happened to Astrid, why did she disappear, was she ever found? Another excellent book by Natasha Lester, one not to be missed. Ms. Lester never disappoints and I'm always read to whatever she writes next. My thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC and for this compelling read.

There is a quote from the film, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” When riding this book, I kept coming back to that quote. Three generations of women who were being held of the legend of the past and were not allowed to shine in their own right. The fashions, the talent and the legend weaved the story beautifully. This book was such a joy to read. I can't recommend it enough.

3 generations of Bricard women take the fashion world by storm.
While I enjoyed parts of this book, I found others moved incredibly slow and left a lot to be imagined by the reader.
This is a great read if you enjoy the fashion industry and/ or historical fiction.

Thank you to @netgalley and @ForeverGrandPublishing for this ARC. Three generations of clothing designers trying to make it in a man's world. Due to false news and no one believing these women could be talented and successful in their own right, it was reported that Mizza and her daughter Astrid were only muse's for the top designer in their world, never designing anything themselves. Blythe, third generation is trying to get to the bottom and fix their reputation but resurrecting the fashion line. If you love fashion, you will love this book! #TheDisappearanceofAstridBrichard #NatashaLester #Jan2024 #ForeverGrandCenterPublishing

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a multigenerational tale of three women that plays on our idea of perception vs reality. We learn the true story of each of these women vs how the media has portrayed them while looking at their relationships to their lovers and to each other.
This book made me feel so many things. The story is powerful and the writing is beautiful. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fashion, strong women, or a good story in general.

"The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard' was excellent. I toughly enjoyed it. The characters were well developed. The narrator was great and did a wonderful job. I would recommend this book highly.

This story involved three generations of strong and determined women and the trials and tribulations they went through compared to their male counterparts. This was an amazingly well written and researched story using real and fictional characters.. Thank you NetGalley for the eArc.

This was so good I couldn't put it down! Think dasiy jones and the six but in fashion and add in mystery too. This was so good. I couldn't stop reading this!!
I just reviewed The Wonder of Christmas by Ken Petersen; Randy Petersen. #TheWonderofChristmas #NetGalley
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This one was a combo of fashion and feminism with rich family history and plenty of drama. Natasha Lester does such a great job of combining history with feelings in a way that make you instantly connect with the characters, even when you have absolutely nothing in common with them.

The feminist element was pretty ramped up for my taste although I do know it’s historically accurate and relevant to the storyline, which is why it received a 4 star from me.

Content warning: drug and alcohol use, racism, brief mentions of sexual abuse, sexual content.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

Great read. Very interesting fiction recounting of three generations of women in the fashion world. This is a fictional account but there are there real people interspersed within this book. This takes three tremendously talented women, Grandmother Mizza Bricard, Daughter Astrid Bricard and Granddaughter Blythe Bricard through the ups and downs of fashion spanning approximately 100 years. The injustices the women endured at the hands of male fashion experts and the media. Very well written. I learned a great deal about this industry. Must read. Recommend.

3.5 stars for The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester

Astrid Bricard seemed to have it all: a coveted scholarship to the Parsons School of Design, enviable talent for designing the latest women’s fashions, and the hottest boyfriend in New York City, rising designer Hawk Jones. So, what caused Astrid to disappear from the famous France vs America Fashion Battle at Versailles when she was on the brink of wild success?

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a mystery, two love stories, and a family epic all rolled into one. The novel tells the story of three generations of Bricard women, including Dior’s infamous muse, Mizza, the ‘Woman in Silver,’ Astrid, and the “hasn’t lived up to expectations,” Blythe, plus Hawk Jones and Blythe’s ex-husband, Jake Black.

The novel’s gorgeous cover drew me to the book, which provides a fascinating look at the fashion design industry in the early 1970’s. However, I found the irregular switching between the perspectives and time periods to be disruptive. The novel alternated between Astrid/Hawk and Blythe for 9 chapters, and then suddenly threw in 4 consecutive chapters about Mizza. Then another 9 chapters alternated between Astrid/Hawk and Blythe, and then the cadence was interrupted again by 3 consecutive chapters about Mizza. It was disconcerting.

Another oddity: there is no chapter 27. Was a chapter accidentally omitted from the Kindle copy, is the chapter numbering off, or does the author or publisher have a superstition about the number 27?

Ms. Lester obviously did an enormous amount of research for this novel, but it felt like she worked a little too hard to incorporate it all into the story. The author made her point about the male domination of the fashion industry, but having a character quote stats about women in the workplace felt forced to me.

The resolution of the mystery also seemed incomplete and improbable. Some important details were never explained, while others were far-fetched. I enjoyed the novel after a bit of a slow start, but the happy ever after ending didn't feel right after all the drama that led up to the very grand finale.

Overall, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is an interesting read that fans of historical fiction authors Fiona Davis or Allison Pataki might enjoy. Fashion aficionados will also love the peek at the world of designers like Halston and Bill Blass. There is a lot to like about Lester’s novel - I just wish the presentation was less complicated and the ending provided a few more details and a little less sugar.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review. The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is scheduled to be published on January 24, 2024. #NetGalley

I love everything about this book. I love the story of three generations of women fighting their damnedest to live their dreams. I love reading about their passions and their upbringing and what made them the flawed and amazing women they are. I love coming to understand their choices better and I love the men who truly loved them, even when it seemed more to the Bricard women felt that it hurt them. I especially loved the social commentary woven throughout and that Natasha Lester clearly did a deep dive into the world of these women. All aspects of this novel held me in its thrall and I didn't come up for air until I was finished. I will be recommending this to all of my reading friends.

This was such an interesting read. Typically, I find that when stories bounce back and forth in a timeline, it's harder to stay engaged in the story. This is my second Natasha Lester book, and I find that not to be the case, and that is enhanced my reading. During this story, we follow three generations, Mizza Bricard(grandmother), Astrid Bricard(mother), and Blythe Bricard (daughter). Each point of view shows the gender inequality and trauma of each character. As the story moves through each chapter, you begin to see the bigger picture and get closer to solving the mystery of where Astrid Bricard is.

I was interested in reading this book because I love historical fiction and have had this author recommended to me several times. The added mystery further piqued my interest. It was a captivating read that kept me turning the pages.

The novel featured three women, each with her own storyline/timeline. Each one was involved in the fashion industry, and each had her work diminished or even discredited by men. It was sad to think about this really happening, especially since one of the timelines was as recent as 2012. Another sad and thought-provoking aspect of the book was the way the accepted narrative about each of these women varied so greatly from the reality.

I found the ending satisfying, and I loved the author's notes. I always enjoy reading what inspired the author and what real historical framework was used in the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early read.